Description
These Raspberry Almond Linzer Cookies are buttery, tender, and filled with sweet, tangy raspberry jam. Made with almond flour and fresh lemon zest, these delicate sandwich cookies have a rich, nutty flavor and beautifully crisp edges. Finished with a dusting of powdered sugar and elegant raspberry-filled windows, they’re a delicious homemade treat for holidays and special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
- For the Cookie Dough:
- 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (99 g) granulated sugar
- Zest of 1 fresh lemon
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/3 cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (72 g) almond flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- For Filling & Assembly:
- 1/3 cup high-quality raspberry jam
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Citrus Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and fresh lemon zest together on medium speed until pale, light, and fluffy.
- Add Egg Yolk and Vanilla: Beat in the egg yolk and pure vanilla extract until the mixture is completely cohesive and smooth.
- Incorporate Dry Flour and Almond Flour: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, and salt. Gently mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture on low speed just until a soft dough forms.
- Divide and Initial Chill: Divide the dough into two equal flat discs, wrap each tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour until firm.
- Roll and Cut Shapes: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut out 2 1/2-inch circles, using a smaller cutout tool to punch small center windows into half of the rounds.
- Second Chill for Cutouts: Place the cutouts on prepared baking sheets and refrigerate for an additional 30 minutes before baking to lock in their sharp shape.
- Bake Until Barely Golden: Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the edges are just barely lightly colored. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheets.
- Dust Tops and Spread Jam: Dust the windowed top cookies generously with powdered sugar before assembling. Spread approximately 1 teaspoon of raspberry jam onto each solid base cookie.
- Sandwich Together: Gently press the powdered sugar top cookies onto the jam-spread base cookies to create elegant sandwich cookies. Keep the jam layer thin to prevent the filling from spilling out of the sides.
Notes
- Dust Window Tops Separately: Always dust the top cutout cookies with powdered sugar before placing them on top of the jam base. If you dust after assembling, the sugar will cover up the bright red raspberry window center.
- Keep the Jam Layer Thin: Avoid overfilling with jam. A thin, even 1-teaspoon layer gives optimal flavor balance without squishing out the sides when pressed.
- Do Not Skip the Second Chill: Chilling the cut cookies for 30 minutes right before they go into the oven keeps the small center window shapes sharp and symmetrical.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Austrian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich cookie
- Calories: 165
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 30mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg